On weekends, you can find me hanging out with butterflies at the Arboretum at Flagstaff‘s Southwest Butterfly House. We receive the butterflies in chrysalis form. Pictured above are the chrysalis of monarchs (top), zebra longwings (middle), and queen butterflies (bottom). Visitors are often shocked to see the different shapes and colors of these creatures in their pupa form. Below you can see a zebra longwing … Continue reading Southwest Butterfly House
I made it to the other side and earned my “R”…meaning I am officially a RPCV (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer). Jamaica made me more resilient, patient, and simply appreciative for the gift of life. I have many fond memories on practically all corners of the island, and the people I have met (both Jamaicans and other PCVs) have deeply inspired me. My Peace Corps service … Continue reading Returned Peace Corps Volunteer
In less than one week I’ll have the possessions that I plan to carry back with me after two years packed up into hopefully just one bag as I hand over the key to my home in Jamaica. Then I’ll take one last look around my community before I make my way to Kingston, where my Peace Corps adventure began back in March 2015. I’ll … Continue reading One Week Left in Jamaica
Time has been flying by and I haven’t been posting much, so here’s a summary of what I have been up to this holiday season, starting with… Halloween Halloween isn’t a celebrated holiday in Jamaica. However, I visited my friend and fellow volunteer Whitney and we watched Hocus Pocus and carved an Anansi Jack-O-Latern. Anansi is a trickster spider popular in Jamaican folklore (with West … Continue reading Giving thanks this holiday season
“Life is just better when there’s homebrew to be had.” – Bill On brewing days, my entire house is filled with the aromatic smell of hops. I want to swim in the scent and never again let a bottle of Red Stripe, Heineken, Dragon Stout or Guinness –the four beers that one can find in Jamaica–meet my lips. With luck, I’ll never have to, because … Continue reading Jamaica Homebrewers’ Guild
One sunny Saturday during rainy season, I decided to go outside and paint. I grabbed a canvas that was home to a still life that I got bored with (and lost the reference photo in my computer crash). I already was starting a different painting on top of the still life (*ahem*…that I also got bored with), so this was try #3. I love color, … Continue reading Home
Styrofoam is everywhere is Jamaica—restaurants and schools island-wide package all of their meals in Styrofoam boxes, so one can imagine the waste created. The Jamaica Gleaner just published an article a few weeks ago how the country is inching towards banning plastic bags and Styrofoam, perhaps they are inspired by Guyana, which has banned the importation of Styrofoam products since April of this year. I … Continue reading Printmaking with Styrofoam
